Deal on a Receiver.
- Thread starter Msut77
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Mr_Happy
CAG Veteran
Panasonic XR55 Digital Receiver
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...coding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance&n=172282
I have one and I like it a lot.
AVS Forum thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=530504
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...coding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance&n=172282
I have one and I like it a lot.
AVS Forum thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=530504
Honestly? Sherwood RD6108, literally every Circuit City in the world has one for less than $60, open box. I bought one for $55. You would be surprised how good the receiver is, only a 5.1 with 100W on each channel, but it's stereo separation is incredible for 2 channel audio and it does a very decent job with Dolby Digital, DTS, and Dolby Prologic. For the price, it's unbeatable.
If you can find a Fry's, they have a Sony STR-DV10 [repackage of STR-DE698, a $300 receiver] for $100 to $200: I got it for $129 about four weeks ago. Most "audio geeks" or "audiophile" and even total audio beginners bash Sony non stop, but there's no reason why anyone with an entry level home theatre [such as yourself, you would be spending mucn more than $200 otherwise] shouldn't consider their offerings. This particular Sony is a 7 channel with 90 watts on each channel, it decodes every single new standard: Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Prologic, Prologic 2, DTS, DTS-EX, DTS-NEO6, SDDS, etc. It has 2 component inputs powered pass through, 2 coaxial in, 1 coaxial out, 4 optical in, 1 optical out, and the UI is quite good, lots of settings, very easy to calibrate. If you run it at 5.1, I'd say you're looking at more than 90W per channel.
That Panasonic? I swear by Panasonic with most everything. I have a Panasonic HD CRT, I have a Panasonic cell phone, I have a Panasonic cordless phone syste, I have a Panasonic CD player, you name it, I have it Panasonic. I wouldn't touch that receiver with a 10 foot pole. Pretty much the entire "audio community" is swearing that it sounds better than $1500 receivers and that the age of traditional receivers is over. Sometimes I start to think the "audio community" doesn't really own any high end equipment and just reads spec sheets. Yes, the Panasonic receiver sounds better than any Home Theatre In A Box [save some very specific Onkyo/Pioneer sets that aren['t that easy to find] and it sounds good for what its worth. It's absolutely terrible for music though, and even DVD's sound bad once you get into a certain volume range, not every single speaker sounds good on it: and more than anything, the sound is just..shallow. There's a warmth, a tone, and a feeling lacking in its reproduction of sound data...
A better question would be, what speakers are you using? And how many? Sub woofer or no subwoofer? That would be a much better way to decide what receiver you're going to buy.
If you can find a Fry's, they have a Sony STR-DV10 [repackage of STR-DE698, a $300 receiver] for $100 to $200: I got it for $129 about four weeks ago. Most "audio geeks" or "audiophile" and even total audio beginners bash Sony non stop, but there's no reason why anyone with an entry level home theatre [such as yourself, you would be spending mucn more than $200 otherwise] shouldn't consider their offerings. This particular Sony is a 7 channel with 90 watts on each channel, it decodes every single new standard: Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Prologic, Prologic 2, DTS, DTS-EX, DTS-NEO6, SDDS, etc. It has 2 component inputs powered pass through, 2 coaxial in, 1 coaxial out, 4 optical in, 1 optical out, and the UI is quite good, lots of settings, very easy to calibrate. If you run it at 5.1, I'd say you're looking at more than 90W per channel.
That Panasonic? I swear by Panasonic with most everything. I have a Panasonic HD CRT, I have a Panasonic cell phone, I have a Panasonic cordless phone syste, I have a Panasonic CD player, you name it, I have it Panasonic. I wouldn't touch that receiver with a 10 foot pole. Pretty much the entire "audio community" is swearing that it sounds better than $1500 receivers and that the age of traditional receivers is over. Sometimes I start to think the "audio community" doesn't really own any high end equipment and just reads spec sheets. Yes, the Panasonic receiver sounds better than any Home Theatre In A Box [save some very specific Onkyo/Pioneer sets that aren['t that easy to find] and it sounds good for what its worth. It's absolutely terrible for music though, and even DVD's sound bad once you get into a certain volume range, not every single speaker sounds good on it: and more than anything, the sound is just..shallow. There's a warmth, a tone, and a feeling lacking in its reproduction of sound data...
A better question would be, what speakers are you using? And how many? Sub woofer or no subwoofer? That would be a much better way to decide what receiver you're going to buy.
Mr_Happy
CAG Veteran
Hmm, audio is very subjective but I don't find the XR55 to sound shallow at all. Are you sure you didn't have the speakers set to "small"? I listen to mostly music (probably 75% music 25% movies/games) and I've been very happy with the XR55. My previous amp was a Jolida integrated tube amplifier, and I'm using it to power a set of Energy C3's. A nice thing about the XR55 is that when listening to stereo input (i.e. CDs) the receiver will function in dual amp mode and use the surround channel amps to provide additional power to the two stereo channels.
[quote name='Mr_Happy']Hmm, audio is very subjective but I don't find the XR55 to sound shallow at all. Are you sure you didn't have the speakers set to "small"? I listen to mostly music (probably 75% music 25% movies/games) and I've been very happy with the XR55. My previous amp was a Jolida integrated tube amplifier, and I'm using it to power a set of Energy C3's. A nice thing about the XR55 is that when listening to stereo input (i.e. CDs) the receiver will function in dual amp mode and use the surround channel amps to provide additional power to the two stereo channels.[/QUOTE]
No, I wasn't able to calibrate or check settings: it was inside a glass case with store made volume buttons. I was mostly unimpressed because they were hooked up to speakers better than my own. I realize a store [unless it has separate audio rooms or a really good layout] isn't the best place for a demonstration, but I've heard better. The demo was SACD, but I'll give in and admit that SACD is a whole other story, bass management is tricky when it comes to multi channel audio.
Does the XR55 automatically pass the low range to the subwoofer when it is in 2 channel? Or does it force everything to both fronts?
No, I wasn't able to calibrate or check settings: it was inside a glass case with store made volume buttons. I was mostly unimpressed because they were hooked up to speakers better than my own. I realize a store [unless it has separate audio rooms or a really good layout] isn't the best place for a demonstration, but I've heard better. The demo was SACD, but I'll give in and admit that SACD is a whole other story, bass management is tricky when it comes to multi channel audio.
Does the XR55 automatically pass the low range to the subwoofer when it is in 2 channel? Or does it force everything to both fronts?
Dante Devil
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My Sony has only one optical receiver is there any way you can get a splitter? I've seen splitters for DVIs.
[quote name='Dante Devil']My Sony has only one optical receiver is there any way you can get a splitter? I've seen splitters for DVIs.[/QUOTE]
Search for the Recoton Optical Switcher, it is a 3/1 switch [wheel design] that works very well for optical switching....on ebay it's around $10 with one optical cable.
Search for the Recoton Optical Switcher, it is a 3/1 switch [wheel design] that works very well for optical switching....on ebay it's around $10 with one optical cable.
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